Best I'll Ever Be
by Kindred Wolf
Summary: What if the spell on the carriage was broken? Hikaru and Haruhi got together after that first date in Karuizawa, but where has that left Kaoru and Tamaki? KaoxOCxTama - not sure yet! Short first chapter, give it a shot!


**Right, this was a second idea I had, but had gone too far in the other one to incorporate it, so decided to just start another one. Probably not the best idea, but I always like to get my ideas down, even if I just start them.**

**A few notes before you start reading: this is what could have happened if Episode 16 (Operation Haruhi and Hikaru's First Date!) had ended differently, so it will be AU, and includes an OC.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**---**

It was a Friday afternoon when the Host Club met her.

Reina.

To say she had thrown the club into chaos was unfair. It was Hikaru who had done that.

What Haruhi had thought was going to be her peaceful summer break, was actually the turning point. When the spell on the carriage was broken. Everything changed after that.

Kaoru had underestimated his own brother. That was what had hit him harder than anything. He was supposed to know him inside out. And the first mistake he made… was a big one.

It started with Hikaru and Haruhi's date, which Kaoru had arranged, to try and make his brother more aware of his own feelings. But after the thunderstorm, and Hikaru put Haruhi before himself… it was the first step.

Tamaki had tried to prise them apart, constantly coming up with crazy suggestions so they spent as little time together as possible. Kaoru tried too, playing off their brotherly love more often than usual, with almost any chance he got. He thought it might distract him from Haruhi, but it didn't.

Hikaru was getting more and more irked at Tamaki. He couldn't understand why he was coming up with so many excuses, but Tamaki did. As much of an idiot he was, he was beginning to understand his jealousy, but that didn't change who he was. Tamaki was still the kind-hearted soul who got carried away, but that didn't mean he was going to completely sabotage the relationship that was forming between the two Hosts.

After a couple of weeks dancing round each other, they had hooked up. If Kaoru had felt like he was losing his brother before this, the loose tie that had been holding them together had now snapped. They'd never been this… distant. Hikaru had not even spoken to him about any of it, and they'd always told each other everything. He'd even made sure that Kaoru had gone ahead so he could officially ask Haruhi out.

Hikaru had been very sly about it. He had used their 'brotherly love' ploy, and Kaoru, naively, had believed he was coming back to him, so he played along, running off to play hide and seek, as Hikaru had said, "Once I've found you, I'll have you all to myself,"

Tamaki had dealt with the relationship better. At least, he had on the outside. He had done his whole 'Daddy' speech, going into great detail on how he would break Hikaru's neck if he ever hurt his 'little girl.'

But Kaoru didn't handle things very well. He couldn't be as strong as Tamaki had – he couldn't act like it didn't bother him. He wouldn't have been able to fool anybody even if he had. Whilst it wasn't technically a depression, Kaoru had certainly retreated back into his shell, back to who he used to be before the Host Club. But now he didn't even have his brother to rely on.

They didn't really talk anymore. Even when Haruhi wasn't around. And Hikaru blamed it on Kaoru. For not trying to adapt. Not like he had. Kaoru had scoffed at Hikaru's reprimand, realising he was still so stupid. He had opened his world to Haruhi, but hadn't realised that he was cutting Kaoru out of it.

Even telling Hikaru that he was leaving him behind didn't change his mind. Or his attitude. They couldn't even keep up their 'twiincest' appeal in the Host Club, but it was fine. Kyoya had worked around the new situation. Hikaru and Haruhi now had the homosexual relationship (but, were to at least act as though they could include the guests in it), and Kaoru was the depressed, damaged type, which made the girls feel sorry for him and still swoon.

But Kaoru was fed up with the Host Club. There wasn't any point to it anymore. Or anything else for that matter.

But on that fateful Friday afternoon, everything changed. When Reina stumbled into Music Room #3.

**---**

**This chapter was just a bit of background, but hopefully the next will be up soon! **

**So yeah! As always, reviews are appreciated!**

**~KW**


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